My Testimony: HIM not me! - Part I

Introduction: What is my testimony? - Part I

[This is Part 1 of a multi-part article]

My recent thought: "What does it mean to have a good testimony?"

How many of us have heard or thought the following statements/questions?

• Man!  I just blew my testimony in front of my co-worker when I got angry.
• When you sin, you blow your testimony.
• That Christian made a big mistake and just blew his/her testimony.

I found a website where a number of people shared their testimony and they all sounded very common and fit the modern-day definition of a testimony.  They spoke of their experiences before and after Christ was revealed to them.  They spoke of the contrast between their "past lives" and new lives.  Is this what a Christian's testimony should be?  Seems like it, right?

I found another website that actually provided an outline for how to write a testimony.  At the end of the outline, the writer noted to "make sure that your testimony glorifies God".  This is very sage advice but does the outline encourage that?

Maybe what we've known as a God-glorifying testimony really isn't.  Maybe it is.  At the very least, it's worth asking the question "What is my testimony?"  Or, better yet the question should be "What should my testimony be and how do I blow it?"

In Part II of this multi-part article, we'll look at what I believe are proper, biblical interpretations of a testimony.  In Part III, I hope to encourage Christians toward a Christ-exalting testimony.  In the meantime, I encourage you to ask the question, "What is my testimony?"

[Part II]

Doubting Faith

Can an honest and saved sinner be a Doubting Thomas?

I heard a professing believer once say that he never doubts God nor his salvation in Christ.  Being my usual inquisitive self, I probed further and asked, "Do you mean that you never doubt your faith?"  He answered assuredly, "Never.  I don't think a true Christian could doubt or else their faith is not real."

Well, I'll say it loud and clear because I know that the honest sinner out there will hear me:  There are days when my faith seems unmovable and days when my doubting causes the spiritual ground under me to shake.

"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Rom 9:15-16

Dear saints, our salvation is not founded on our works, abilities, character or moral grounds.  It is founded on the mercy of God on our poor, lost souls.  We may have great strength of character and will of the mind (i.e. carnal faith) to be so assured of a truth whether it is of eternal things or of carnal things.  Yet, that carnal faith does not save us unless God were to look mercifully on us and give us spiritual eyes to behold the Lord Jesus as our substitute for our sins and sovereign ruler of our souls.  That is the difference between carnal and spirtual, God-given faith.

We are not saved because we have a perfect faith but rather that the One in whom we have faith is perfect and pure.  Neither then does our faith exist merely in two states: Existent and perfect or not at all.   For our faith grows He continues to reveal Himself to us.[Rom 12:3, 14:1]   Nor was that faith granted only once to apply perfectly on the day that the Spirit revealed Christ to us.   Instead, God continually grants us faith so that we might have the spiritual eyes necessary to look to Jesus who with one act perfectly accomplished all that was necessary to pay for our sins and please the Father. [Heb 12:2]

Christian, do not marvel at your weak seasons of faith nor be discouraged by them.  Examine yourselves to see if you are of the faith.  If you are a true believer, He will grant you mercy by causing you to look again to Christ.  For as you continue to look to Jesus, He will - as the author and perfecter of faith - shine His face on you that you might see His majestic glory and merciful kindness.  As a result, you will not extol the strength of your faith in pride but rather be humbled by His mercy once again toward you.

I Was Arminian and Did Not Know It

I did not realize until recently how self-glorifying the infant stage of my Christian life was.  Let me start by quoting some phrases and sentences I used often soon after Christ revealed my sin and my need for His mercy.

"When did you bow your knee to Christ?"

"When did you give your life to Jesus?"

"Turn from your sins and look to Christ and you will be saved."

"My life changed when I gave my heart to Jesus."

"Pray this prayer with me and God will save you."

I dare not say that any of those statements inherently are unbiblical.  In fact, the third statement can be properly supported by Acts 2:38.  However, I will say that they are closer bedfellows to free-will and human choice salvation than the biblical truth of salvation being wholly and solely the loving foreknowledge and sovereign grace of our Lord Jesus to save sinners by His good pleasure and for His glory.

The thought I am hoping to incite you to consider is this:  How often do we in our daily testimony and witness unknowingly (and maybe even knowingly) point to our work as the source of salvation rather than point the sinner to Christ and incite them to beg our gracious Lord for mercy.

"Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." - 1Pe 2:10

In my next post, I am going to ask the question, "What is our testimony: Our walk or His steps?"

Proclaiming in the Season of Politics

During this season of our nation's elections, what concerns you most?  The results of the election or the calling out of the elected?

"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."  [1Co 2:2]

I recently took some time to count the number of times in a given week that I had a discussion of politics with a co-worker or friend.  I then counted the opportunities I redeemed the time by leading the discussion into eternal and spiritual matters of the soul.  Sadly, as many of you might find of yourselves, the former outnumbered the latter.

The reason that I chose to specifically count these conversations rather than others is that I have found political discussions to be easier to guide toward an evangelistic discussion.  Consider the following topics and their relation to spiritual and eternal matters:

• Economy - Our trust is in our citizenship in heaven [Phi 3:20].  David says, "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor begging bread." [Psa 37:25]
• Definition of family - He has made them man and woman [Gen 2]; Denial of gender denies creation; 
• Obama vs. McCain - They are both under the sovereign hand of God.  The believer can be encouraged that "He removes kings and sets up kings" [Dan 2:21].  The unbeliever should be told that both are sinners and fallen leading to discussions of the fallen nature of man. [Rom 3:23]
• Overturning Roe v. Wade - The Lord formed us all in the womb.  He has made all things and is sovereign over all creatures. [Isa 44:24]

It's difficult to turn a debate about sports, business, technology or even TV shows into an evangelistic opportunity but politics is much easier.  Unfortunately, the passion that many of us have in political discussions is often misguided and blinding which limits our usefulness in redeeming the time for the Lord and His glory.

Christian, I encourage you to take a quite moment to prepare yourself through study and prayer for these opportunities so that we might be useful for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.

Saved But Not a Superhero

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." [Psa 51:12-13]

     When a new believer understands the Gospel and bows their sinful knee to Christ then is brought into the fellowship of the body, what do we expect out of them?

     I wonder if we are unfairly expecting them to be forced into a particular mold.  Some seem to have certain expectations of new believers such as evangelizing to their friends, inviting family and friends to church and/or bible study and to get "plugged in".  While those desires imposed on the new believer are good for their usefulness in God's work, I think we forget that being saved does not mean we become superheroes.

     Other than a revelation of Christ to the changed heart of a humble sinner along with a newfound zeal, we don't suddenly gain new characteristics when we are brought to the Savior.   Those who were shy aren't suddenly extroverted in fellowship and may find it difficult to invite friends.  Those who were undisciplined and/or untaught in general study and reading won't immediately (or even ever) become habitual readers of the Word.  If they were unreliable and irresponsible, don't expect them to suddenly be a model of usefullness in ministry.  Other than a new inward man, the outward man before our revelation is basically cognate with the outward man after.

     Ask yourself and answer (I hope) honestly, "Am I really that different from before the Spirit revealed my sin and my Savior to me?"  God does sanctify us so that we can put off the old self and conforms us to the image of His Son.  However, consider this: Don't we still struggle with some of the same sins (though the efficacy may be less) as when we were unregenerate sinners?

     As for some of our characterics, they usually remain the same.  If you were shy before, you're probably still shy now and find it difficult to socialize even with Christians.  If you struggled with studying and reading for more than a few minutes, that's likely still difficult.  If you were difficult to make friends with, you're likely to struggle with the same even today.  If you were quick to speak, I'm sure that bugs you even more now.  If you were often late and irresponsible, you're probably still the same way.

Why then as new believers, do we experience a period of time when weaknesses seem to be overcome for a short period?

I offer this thought:  What we perceive as a new outward man is the result of the newfound zeal for Christ and His people that new believers experience when the hope of their salvation is revealed to them.  Let us not burden new believers with fitted molds, carnal expectations or self-centered progress cards.  These are yolks they should not bear.  Rather let us help to keep afresh and renew their zeal with the continual feast of the revelation of Christ through the preaching, teaching of and fellowship in His Word.

Christ was Plan B???

I attended the memorial service at a Catholic church this week for a former co-worker who was well respected in our company.  I was flabbergasted when the Catholic priest made statements amounting to the belief that Christ's death on the cross was Plan B.  He stated that our relationship with God is improved by loving one another.  Since we could not do this perfectly, God sent His own Son to die on the cross for us to show true love.  Effectively, Christ was Plan B because we failed to do what "we were called to do" - to love one another.

Having been blessed to hear and understand the true gospel, I know that God's sovereign plan of salvation for His people was foreknown before the foundation of the world[Rom 8:29, Eph 1:4].  It was not a response to our failure but rather a plan to fulfill His promises for our good and His glory [2Cor 1:20-22].  God had intended for His Son to be glorified after the counsel of His own will.  Before I had a name, He had already called me.  It was not my voice that called out to Him that saved me but the voice of His Son who cried, "It is finished!"  I am merely a sinner saved by His grace and mercy.

Christ was not Plan B.  He wasn't even Plan A.  His work to glorify the Father was the only plan, passion and purpose of God.

One step away from idolatry and apostasy

In speaking with some friends a few days ago, I made a comment that seemed to surprise them.

"We should consider that we can easily preach a false gospel and mislead others without knowing it."

Friends, let's not fool ourselves into thinking that stumbling is unlikely to happen just because we are at a good church where the Gospel is preached or because we have been educated at a Christ-centered seminary or because we have the protection of godly brothers and sisters around.  Wisdom and strength is not your protection from apostasy.  If it were not for the grace of God on our lives, we would surely stumble.

You may respond, "I may stumble for a short period but a true believer would not stumble for long."

I ask you to consider the lives of a few kings who started well and worshipped God but took a drastic turn and did not recover before God graciously ended their lives to take them up to Himself - Uzziah (2Chr 26), Solomon and Jehoshaphat (2Chr 20).

Complacency can easily enter into our thinking.  Be vigilant and watchful not merely of the battles outside the camp but especially those within ourselves.  Why else would Paul exhort Timothy to take heed of himself and his doctrine?  (1Tim 4:16)  Was it not because Paul himself knew the danger of complacency?  Paul understood that it is only the grace of God that keeps us on the narrow path while being one stumbling step away from idolatry and apostasy.

What's the purpose of this site?

Many friends and some family have asked me for years whether I've finally joined the blogsphere.  I've often joked that I'm trying to avoid the "fad" and excused myself for not having time.  Neither are honest reasons.

As an IT geek, I know that blogging will have a long life because of the evolution of the internet from a museum of static business-related information to a more mainstream utility of personalized window shopping.  As for not having time, anyone who really knows me knows that I have a lot of leisure time on my hands that - if used properly - could actually be fruitful.

So, I'm jumping into the blogsphere but with a twist.  (Yeah, I know what you're thinking.  That Eugene just can't do things the way everyone else does.)  Well, my hope is that my foray into the blogsphere will be both beneficial to you and therapeutic for me.

My intention for my blog is not to post updates on the latest on our family (I may start a separate site for that).  Personally, I'd rather that I see our friends and family in the flesh than read about you in HTML.  Nor is my blog going to be a soapbox to state positions and opinions.  Although, many of the topics will likely be opinionated (of course, this is me - Eugene - writing it).  Instead, it will have a very simple theme: The Thoughts of a Sinner [Saved By Grace].

What in the world are you talking about Eugene?

One of the problems with our multimedia rich, $1-million-per-30-second-advertisement, news-flash-driven, GPS-guided, I'll-call-you-from-the-car culture is that we don't spend enough time in pensive states.  How much time do we spend pondering - not just any random topic but rather well-guided thoughts?  Whether you are a Christian or not, spending time to think through anything worth thinking about is a healthy exercise.

My blog is my attempt at putting some of my thoughts in a public forum to accomplish two goals:

• Inspire others to think through similar topics and it's application/effect on their respective lives and...
  
• Point some to Christ **
  

** Many of these thoughts may be of or around spiritual matters.   However, others may have little to do with eternal things and may actually be more carnal than spiritual.

WARNING (Before you continue):

Some of the topics I bring up will likely "rub some people the wrong way" or even offend.  While that is not my intent for this site, it will impossible to avoid this because of reasons such as below:

• I desire to spur many to love and good deeds by considering issues that some would find insightful at the same time that it may anger others.
  
• My thoughts are uncomfortable to some.
  
• My thoughts are those which others see as a "hill to die on" but I may not.
  

Whether you are encouraged or made angry, consoled or troubled, unmoved or spurred, at least I have made you think through something that hopefully is good for you to consider.

Enjoy the site!  (I hope.)